Prevent Cancer with a Fork: 17 Amazing Foods & Teas to Try

Hippocrates was so right. Food is the best medicine to both prevent and to help heal during the rough cancer journey. The following 17 natural foods and teas have been demonstrated to be some of the most effective chemopreventive dietary agents against almost all forms of cancer. Add some of these into your shopping cart every week. This will help you build a healing foundation with some of the most nutrient dense foods that can be found in almost any grocery store.

Wild Blueberries: The wild ( not cultivated) are the most powerful antioxidant of any fruit. They are also one of the BEST ADAPTOGENS. Among other life-giving benefits, they help prevent cellular DNA damage and restrict the blood supply to grow cancer cells called apoptosis.8 You can find these in the frozen food section at Trader Joes, Sprouts, Whole foods and more.

Green Foods: Chlorophyll-rich foods like wheatgrass, spirulina, and arugula help purify the blood and detoxify the liver. Science shows that chlorophyll can block the carcinogenic effects of certain cancer-causing chemicals.(2) Finally, all green foods are rich in sulphers that down regulate estrogen pathways.

Cruciferous Vegetables: Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale etc contain glucosinolates, which the body breaks down into indoles and isothiocyanates, known cancer-fighting compounds.3

Low Lectin Nuts and Seeds: Powerhouses of micronutrients, these nuts are not only low in lectins( compounds with inflammatory properties in the gut and other tissues) they also contain healthy fats that improve the bioavailability of cancer-fighting nutrients in other foods. These nuts include macadamia, pecans, almonds and hazelnuts. In fact, if you pair them with green vegetables or a green veggie juice, you’ll absorb 10 times more anticarcinogens than you would if you ate your veggies alone.(4) In addition, amaranth, millet and sesame seeds contain cancer-fighting lignans, and are filled with antioxidants. 4

Garlic and Onions: According to research, consuming an onions or whole garlic/ week can cut a person’s risk of getting major cancers—including breast, colon, prostate, and ovarian—by 50 to 60 percent. 5,6

Mushrooms: No need to spring for the fancy mushrooms to benefit from the anticancer properties of these fungi. Even the less expensive, more widely available white, cremini, and portobello mushrooms can reduce inflammation, slow the growth of cancer cells and reduce the risk of breast cancer. Amazing Study: Mushrooms Reduce Breast Cancer by 64% cancer by blocking the production of estrogen—and the list goes on and on! Other medicinal mushrooms worth noting are chaga- the darkest of all mushrooms and it produces important melanin in the body to work as a natural sunscreen.This allows humans to anchor more light in the body. Cancer does not grow in a light filled medium. 20

Olives and Genuine Olive Oil: Olives contain an abundance of antioxidants, including squalene and terpenoids. Olive oil has similar cancer-fighting properties, but if it’s imported, make sure it’s genuine. Several studies within the last few years have shown that a large number of imported “olive oils” are adulterated in some way so spend the extra money and make sure you get a cold pressed olive oil. 10,11

Seaweed: With its incredible mix of micronutrients, seaweed is full of the deep nutrition that keeps a body healthy and fuels its fight against cancer. In Chinese medicine, it has long been used to soften hardened tumors. This is one of the best foods to detoxify from radiation and any heavy metals. Good examples include dulse, kelp and wakame. The phytochemicals lock onto toxins and they get stored in a cage like structure in these sea veggies.

Turmeric: Chemical compounds in turmeric, known as curcuminoids, are anti-inflammatory and neutralize the free radicals that can cause DNA damage. Curcumin is the most active ingredient found in Turmeric. This is the most studied ingredient in cancer trials because it functions like a power chemo drug. Dose 400-800mg /day 13

Green Tea: Filled with antioxidants, green tea has powerful anticancer properties. It’s been shown to prevent several types of cancer in animal studies, as well as to considerably slow the growth of cancer cells.14 It also contains L-theanine- an amino acid that improves GABA production and helps calm the nervous system. Aim to get at least 2-3 cups/day.

Rosemary: This fragrant herb helps prevent DNA damage and keeps cancer cells from proliferating.18 Both fresh and dried are valuable in your cooking. Try making a tea infusion with the fresh and serve after dinner.

Pomegranate: Juice from pomegranate seed pulp has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Laboratory studies have shown it to prevent the growth of cancer cells, and results of a human study suggested it has both preventative and therapeutic effects against cancer.20

Nettle Leaf Tea-this is a star adaptogen to help you body handle the stress of cancer or just life. There are over 700 compounds in nettles that alkalize the body, heal inflammation, help rebuild hormone stores in the adrenals, and detoxify complex compounds found in radiation and chemo.

Red Clover Tea: Drink when you are feeling exhausted, depleted and worn down by the cancer journey or just life in the fast lane. It has an energizing effect. It’s also great for weight loss. Why? It helps to detoxify xeno type estrogens that get stored in stubborn fat around the belly and hips. Over time, this can help you break up this fat that is hard to lose post menopause through dieting and exercise